Safety gate



INVENTOR JAMES 0. JORDAN 7/ 1T0 NEY Patented July 25, 1950 the United States of America as represented the Secretary of the Navy Application May l,1943,'Serial No;485,4081

, 1 This invention relates to a safety device which is'designed to be inserted in a rotatable explosive projectile, particularly between a squib and'a booster charge located within the projectile.

Anobject of the invention is to prevent premature detonation of a projectile.

nated, from igniting an explosive charge of a booster.

Another specific object of the invention to a provide a locking or holding means for preventing a safety gate from being actuated from a safe position to armed position until the locking means has been rendered ineffective by the action of centrifugal force created by therapid rotation of the projectile. 1

tillfurther objects of the invention, not specifically mentioned above, will become evident during the course of the following description.-

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a'sectional view takenon plane 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the parts in safe position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on plane 2--2 of Fig. 1 but showing the parts in armed position; and,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on plane 4--4 of Fig. 2, showing the device mounted in a customary booster adapter, the adapter being shown in section in addition to the structure shown in Fig. 2.

In the drawings, similar reference numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the views.

Numeral Ill generally indicates the body of the gate, which is preferably in the form of a short, disk-like cylinder, as shown in perspective in Fig. 1. The body ID is formed with a cut-out portion or recess I I which is substantially rectangular in shape and extends transversely of the body I I]. It will be noted that the recess I I terminates short of the axis of the body, but is provided with a restricted continuation I2 that extends beyond the axis of the body. In this connection, it will be understood, of course, that the axis of the body I is disposed coaxially with respect to the booster adapter I4 and to a discharge port I3 located in ZClaims. (01.102 79) the upper portion of the adapter. I4is designed to'be-smounted within a projectile or the like (not shown) See Figure 4.

-A gate element generally indicated at I5 is slidably mounted within the recess II, the gate element l5 being provided with an enlarged portion l6 and a reduced tongue portion H, the tongue portion II fitting within the recess continuation I25 Thetongue I'I provides a shoulder I8, which is designed to abut the shoulder I9 formed by the continuation I2 of the'recess'l I. The gate I5'is provided with a vertical port 20, and it should be noted at this point that the gate I5 is designed to overlie andclose off the port I3 in the adapter 1 II when the gate I5 is in its innermost position as shown in Fig. 2. Also, the port 20 formed in the gate I5 will be aligned with the port I3 when the gate I5'is in its outermost position as shown in Fig. 3, thus providing direct communication through the gate and said port.

"It will be noted that the gate element l5, inclusive of its tongue portion I I, is of rectangular cross section as may be seen inFig. 4, where the shapes of portions I6 and I I are shown clearly.

This rectangular-shape afiords' several distinct advantages) Obviously, a gate of non-circular cross section? cannot rotate about any longitudinal axis and'therefore the ports 20 and I3 cannot turn out of the requisite relationship to assure registration of said'ports at the proper time; the gate may be made relatively thin while'maintain ing suflicient strength in spite of the port 20 therein; and the wide portion I6 affords increased centrifugal force.

The body I0 is provided with diametrically opposed slots 2| and 22 formed in the periphery thereof, the slots forming flat inner walls 23, as best seen in Fig. 3. Cylinders or bores 24 and 25 are positioned within the body I0 and weighted detents 26 and 21 are positioned within the cylinders 24 and 25 respectively. These detents 26 and 21 are provided with pins 28 on their innermost ends. The tongue portion I! of the gate I5 is provided with sockets 29, into which the pins 28 are designed to fit. Flat springs 30 are positioned within the slots 2| and 22 and are designed to lie against the fiat side walls 23 as best seen in Fig. 2. These flat springs 30 urge the detents 26 and 21 into their innermost positions, thus keeping the pins 28 in locking engagement with the tongue I! through cooperation with sockets 29. A suitable retaining ring 3| (see Fig. 1) is slipped around the periphery of the body It to retain the springs 30 within the slots 2I and 22. A suitable cover plate 32 (see Fig. 4) is positioned The adapter over the outer face of the body I!) and is held in its position by the adapter M. This cover plate 32 is provided for preventing the gate 15 from being displaced from within the recess II. The bottom wall of the booster adapter M will, of course, prevent the gate l5 from being displaced downwardly. As shown in Fig. 4, the gate is of a thickness, slightly, less' than that; ofq'thesbody so that thegate l'5"may slide-freely in the recess l i.

In operation, the safety device will be mounted within an adapter for a booster charge, andwillbe positioned between the booster charge and a quib. The gate 15 is locked'in its innermostlposie tion as shown in Fig. 2, thus preventing oommunication between the squib and the booster charge. After the projectile hasrbeemfiredirom a gun and the initial setback force overcome, the centrifugal force created by the rotation of the projectile will throw the-weighted detents 26 and 2"]: outwardly against; the: tensiom of: the springs; 303'. thus" causing: disengagement between. the pins 28 and sockets-22,92. After the'adetentsaarerforced; out-irrardl'y,v theneby unlocking: thee gate t5; the gate, l-fiswillzalso bez-forced:outwardly-byrcentrifuegala force, and: the: port, will: assume the;- position showm inEig. 3;; 1m this: position, that device is: im armed, condition; and the? port; formed? intheitiongue 11 of; gate I-E WflIibG aligned'iwitli' the port I:3 formedi the: boosteradaptfen', thereby providing; direct, communication from;v al squib (not? shown through the; safety, deviceg. tow a: boosterrcharget.

Obviously; many: modifications: and: variationsofsthew present invention-1am possible intthe light 0f the-a above teachings, It is: therefore'to be: understoodzthatwithin the;scopezof theaappendedi claims; the inventiom may: be: practiced? otherwisethan;asspecifioally descnibedi What is claimed is:::

-11, Inarcentrifiugally operated safety device for projectiles; having a: controlled: port? in fuse tnaimvthes combination: with: a: body member: hav ing: a transverse; substantially diametrically locatedi; parailel-sided'f recessfopem to: the port", and: spaced: lateralr; slots atzopposite sides. of the" recess-;,of a slide-gate guided imsaid recess-landrofi' rectangular' cross; section, and? having: a port: inftially: closed; to; the; firstport; said bodwmember having a: pain of; transversely; directed bores;

opposed: radially retractable detents slidably 4 mounted in said bores engaging said gate and flat spring blades mounted in said slots, each blade being of the same width as the slot in which it is located, and normally lying flat against the bottom of said slot, for resiliently retaining said detents.

2. In a centrifugally operated safety device for groi'ect'ilbs; haying a controlled port in a fuse train; the-combination with a body member having a transverse, substantially diametrically lo cated, parallel-sided recess and a reduced extensionlthereof open to said port and forming spaced stop shoulders, said body member also having diametrically opposedslots in its edge, thebottom surfaces of saidaslots being parallel to the sides of the recess; of a"- slide gate having a relatively massiveoutercenctportion fitting in and guided in said recess and having a reduced tongue located in said extension and in engagement with said shoulders, said gate being of rectangular cross section, whereby rotation; of; the gate aboutrany longitudinal; axisis. prevented; said: body mem;-- berrhavingapair of:-opposed:transversely-directed: guide: bores extending; through the: bottom: sure faces of; the; slots: and, opening; into: the, reduced extension of the: recess, a. pair: of; transversely opposedidetents v,l'loused,rnovably insaid boresand havingi retaining. means engaging: said. tongue, andgz flatr spring; blades; mounted in, thesslotsa-nda normally; each; lying; flat against the; bottom: Ofl.

its respective slot, for resiliently holding the:

detentss in; tongueeengaging; positiom. v

JAMES D: JORDAN.

REFERENCES CITED- The follow-ing references areofrecord in*- the Number Name. Date;

950,-205; Ga-thmannk Eeb. 22; 191,01 Semp1e- Feb. 1 ,199,129. K-neublueh1enr Sept; 5; 1916 1,463,747 Lowman July; 31-,19-231 1 518 24 I lrmaytonr Dec; 9; 1924 15709-272: McCormick Apr. 16:; 1929' 2,432,821- Graumann June-14; 1949} FOREIGN PATENTS Number 'Gountry Date Germany Sept; 29, 1917' 

